Security suite vendors have finally caught on to the fact that most of their users aren't security geeks. Users want the product to work; they want it to show that it's working; but they don't want any interruptions or confusing queries. Judging from what the vendors have done this year, they also want it to look nice. Many of the suites discussed here have significantly changed their main windows since last year. Click on our security suites interface slideshow to see how the suites have changed.

F-Secure and McAfee bucked the makeover trend. Other than a minor change in color palette, F-Secure looks exactly the same, and only the sharpest eye could detect any difference in McAfee's 2009 edition. The biggest change for Trend Pro is a new My Home Network tab on the main screen; other changes are relatively minor.

Kaspersky moved things around and smoothed out the overall visual effect, but it's not too different. BitDefenderthe quick-change artist of the grouphas undergone some big changes. The 2008 edition swapped 2007's blocky, utilitarian look and red and silver color scheme for a super-simplified big-button view reminiscent of Microsoft's OneCare, and the 2009 edition of BitDefender is another complete makeover.

ZoneAlarm has changed the most of all. For years, it has used an awkward dual-tab system, which left some users confused about where to find features, and a hodgepodge of bright-colored icons. ZoneAlarm 2009's interface is much more coherent, both in function and appearance. Norton has made some big changes, too, getting rid of the confusing separate "Norton Protection" tab. Check the slideshow for before and after pictures.

So, do these radical changes in appearance represent big improvements in functionality? In most cases, no. The biggest exception is Norton: In addition to merely cosmetic changes, it has also streamlined its protection and added visuals for performance-related features such as Norton Insight and the handling of security tasks in idle time.

In the past I've given each security suite separate ratings for Firewall, Antivirus, Antispyware, Antispam, and Privacy/Parental Control. With this round of suite reviews I've added a Performance category and separated Privacy and Parental Control. Of course, some components are more important than others. I give much more weight to the firewall, antivirus, and antispyware components, as well as to the new Performance index. The
attached chart
pulls together the individual component ratings for the 2009 suites, so you can focus on choosing one that's strong in the areas you need most.

Norton Internet Security 2009 excelled in the most important areasfirewall, antivirus, and antispywareand it did so with little affect on performance. Its antispam and parental-control elements are dismal, but many users don't need those. Norton remains our Editors' Choice for 2009. Those who've sworn off Norton's suite for life (there are some who can't get beyond its past performance problems) should consider Trend Micro Internet Security Pro 2009. Its scores are impressive, if not quite as high as Norton's, and it does well in all areas, including those where Norton falls down. Click the links below for full reviews.next: Suites Keep Coming >

Featured in This Roundup:

Avira Premium Security Suite 9
3 licenses, $79.95 direct
I often recommend Avira's free AntiVir virus scanner (www.free-av.com)I especially like the fact that it offers a bootable rescue CD as a free download. Unfortunately, I didn't find quite as much to like in the full Avira Premium Security Suite 9. A significant bug in the on-demand malware scanner could leave users thinking malware was removed when in fact it was ignored, and this bug won't be fixed for a month. Avira had a relatively low impact on system performance, coming in with the second smallest impact on two of my tests. But a default setting in its spam filter slowed e-mail downloading to an absolute crawl. I also have a problem with the suite's needlessly complex user interaction. I'm hoping for a complete makeover before the next version.

BitDefender Internet Security 2009
$69.95 direct; 3-pack, $79.95
BitDefender has added a ton of new featuresonline backup and remote configuration, for example. It includes all the expected security elements, with decent performance from most of them. It's a reasonable choice if you're excited by those extra features.

CA Internet Security Suite Plus 2009
5-pack, $79.99 direct
There's little to love in this Frankenstein's monster of a suite. Patched together from many separate mediocre tools, it put the biggest drag on system performance of any suite tested. Save ten bucks and get Norton's suite (or Trend Micro's) instead.

Comodo Internet Security 3.5
Free
For free security Comodo's firewall is still a sound choice, but the antivirus and antispyware parts of this suite just don't do the job. If you need free security, get the firewall alone and add avast! or AVG for free virus/spyware protection.

ESET Smart Security 4.0
3 licenses, $89.99
ESET Smart Security 4.0 keeps its performance impact low by including only the most essential security elements: firewall, antivirus, antispyware, and spam filter. It had the least impact of any suite on browsing and came in third or better (out of 16) on all but one performance test. The independent testing labs praise its antivirus component, but the firewall's program control is turned off by default. This version includes the option to (laboriously) create a bootable rescue CD. It also integrates ESET's extremely useful SysInspector diagnostic tool.

F-Secure Internet Security 2009
$75.90 direct; 3-pack, $79.90
F-Secure Internet Security 2009 is easy to use, without complicated settings and extras. But installing it was a nightmare, and it took too long deleting inactive malware. The firewall is old-fashioned, and the antispam and parental-control apps are ineffective. The suite hasn't kept up with the times.

Kaspersky Internet Security 2009
3-pack, $79.95 direct
Kaspersky Internet Security's new user interface hides messy security details but leaves them accessible to power users. The new application-filtering feature renders the suite smart enough to make its own decisions without hassling the user. As long as you don't plan to rely on it for spam filtering or parental control, Kasperksy's suite is a good choice.

McAfee Total Protection 2009
3-pack, $79.99 direct
McAfee's latest suite has improved malware detection, and its spam filter is also much better. But its overabundance of features hasn't changed at all; its UI is sluggish; and it saps system performance.

Norton 360 version 3.0
3 licenses, $79.99
Symantec continues to offer security in two flavors, Norton Internet Security 2009 and Norton 360 version 3.0. This version of Norton 360 received the same rebuild from the ground up that Norton 2009 got last year, so its impact on performance is way down. In fact it had the least system drag of any tested suite in two categories despite the fact that it added some significant new abilities across many different components. For the most part, Norton 360 does its work in the background without hassling the userI like that. Its parental control and antispam components are still weak, but an offer to install Norton Online Family (beta) in place of the regular parental control suggests that this will improve soon. My evaluation was marred by some seriously questionable practices on the part of Symantec's chat-based tech support; Symantec is in the process of addressing this problem. Nonetheless, we chose to award the security suite an Editors' Choice based on the merits of the software itself, because it's an otherwise excellent product.

Norton Internet Security 2009
3-pack, $69.99 direct
This is definitely the slimmest, most unobtrusive Norton ever. Its protection is top-notch where it counts, though antispam and parental controls are still weak. As the best all-around security suite to date (I'll be installing it myself), it's our new Editors' Choice.

Panda Global Protection 2009
$69.95 direct; 3-pack, $89.95
Except for the new main screen, Panda's 2009 suite doesn't look much different. Its collective intelligence promises better protection, but its action is spotty: Spam filtering got much better; spyware protection got worse. And it's expensive! Wait for next year's version if you're thinking of switching to Panda.

TrustPort PC Security 2009
$71 for 3 licenses
The new consumer-side suite from enterprise security vendor TrustPort PC Security 2009 doesn't offer either the tough security protection or the unobtrusive, helpful interface that consumers have come to expect. The corporate version, managed by an IT department, might work just fine, but this consumer offering doesn't belong on your desktop.

Webroot Internet Security Essentials
3-pack, $59.95 direct
WISE omits features that other suites include yet still slows down system performance. Its malware protection is excellent, and it delivers 2GB of online backup, but its firewall component doesn't do the job. Spend $10 more and get Norton or Trend Pro!

ZoneAlarm Extreme Security
3 licenses $69.95
For a year now, Check Point Software has offered two very different types of protection: ZoneAlarm Internet Security 2009 and ZoneAlarm ForceField. With the new ZoneAlarm Extreme Security, Check Point combined the two into one comprehensive security package that includes the tough firewall, accurate spam filter, and unusual identity protection features from ZoneAlarm 2009. To that solid base it adds ForceField's unusual virtualization-based malware protection, and ices the cake with its backup and tune-up capabilities. That full-scale feature set puts ZoneAlarm Extreme in direct competition with Norton 360, and it generally fares well by comparisonexcept in performance. ZoneAlarm Extreme put a bit less drag on test systems than ZoneAlarm 2009 did, but quite a bit more than Norton 360. Even so, it's an equally good choice for comprehensive protection. It shares Editors' Choice honors with Norton 360 and Norton 2009.

ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite 2009
$49.95 direct; 3-pack, $69.95
ZoneAlarm is strong on defense. It has a tough firewall and keeps malware totally out of a clean system, but it's less effective in cleaning up entrenched malware, and some of its features are antiquated. ZoneAlarm is still a fine choice, but I had hoped for a makeover that would be more than skin deep.

Neil Rubenking served as vice president and president of the San Francisco PC User Group for three years when the IBM PC was brand new. He was present at the formation of the Association of Shareware Professionals, and served on its board of directors. In 1986, PC Magazine brought Neil on board to handle the torrent of Turbo Pascal tips submitted by readers. By 1990, he had become PC Magazine's technical editor, and a coast-to-coast telecommuter. His "User to User" column supplied readers with tips...
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